Air Conditioning - alright, check out my custom job.

I need help. I live in an apartment, and the complex won't allow us to put an air conditioner in the window....so here's what I did....and you tell me if I'm crazy or tell me it just might work. I got a portable a/c unit for free. It's one of the kind you stick in a window........I'm just gonna put it on the floor in my apartment. I know these units need to vent out of a window somehow......so I bought 25' worth of insulated flexible duct (6" diameter"). I hooked one end to the a/c unit, and one end to the window (the end of the duct is strapped to a 6" collar which sits in the window. I then bought some clear plex (so the complex won't know anything is there) to act as if it's closing the window. NOW.......thoughts? Am I crazy? Will this even work? Is the duct too long ? (i can't really arrange my room so the a/c unit is any closer) What do you think?

It might work ok. You will be using room air as 'inlet' to cool the condensor coils and venting to the outside. This will create a 'vacuum' in the room. To compensate it will draw air in from the outside from the path of least resistance. Only you can know where that is. Under the doors. Open windows. Attic. Etc. It won't be much worse than operating a window unit with the 'fresh air' setting on all the time, I suppose.

Keep the length of the duct to the outside as short as possible.

would it be better to put it somewhere where it will draw hotter air or colder air?

Well, two things could happen.

Put it in a cool place: You will be using conditioned air to cool the condensor. Kind of defeating the purpose. Taking cold air out of the room to replace it with outside air.

Put it in a warm place: You will not get the efficiency of using cool air to cool the already inefficient (by install) condensor.


It's your choice. I'd start with putting as close to the window as possible irregardless of the temp of the air close to it.

well do the condensers need hot air or cold air to cool?

The cooler the air the more efficient.

Taking cold air out of the room to replace it with outside air.

...which is good. I mean I'll have this puppy on 24-7 so as long as my place drops to maybe 65-70 deg I'll be stoaked.

Any window units that I have seen where they try to put duct work on the front side or on the condenser side dont work. The fan in them is not set up to move air down any kind of pipe or duct work. Also there is the water that blows in the condenser coil. lots of time in the summer it dont get writ of it all and it does run over.

ED:eek:

well i have the ac unit over a bucket so any of the water will just drain. the question is will the heat actually run through the duct and make it to the window.

NO the fans on window units are not made to blow air down a pipe or duct. Just out in the open and just through the coils is all. Dont forget the same fan motor has to blow through the front coil and the condenser coil in back. So you just can add more work for it.

ED;)

so do you guys have any ideas on what I could do? i can't move out....and i can't buy another unit. I also can't get the unit any closer to the window.....please dont just say "well live with the heat!"

so do you guys have any ideas on what I could do? i can't move out....and i can't buy another unit. I also can't get the unit any closer to the window.....please dont just say "well live with the heat!"

What About a portable unit. they move from room to room and you vent them out a window like a dryer via 2 ducts it comes with everything you need to cool your room but they are pricey.

like i said, i can't buy another unit

what about venting into a hallway or another room with a window set on on somthing that won't restric the air flow put plastic around the door frame the room your in will be cool while the rest of the place will be hot. I read that in another post and if I remember it was ok to do.

the question is will the heat actually run through the duct and make it to the window.

it should. (depending on how you connected the duct to the back).
what your doing is not much different the what the smaller Portable A/C units do. room air is shoved thru the condensor and out thru a 3" duct and out the window.. (the bigger portables use two ducts and circulate the outside air thru the compressor).

The biggest problem you have is the fan is not meant to push air thru the ducting..
now , if you added a 'duct fan' to help draw the hot air out?